"Value." If there's a better word to describe the Chevrolet Camaro SS, I can't think of it. Sure, it's fast and fun, handles well and makes all the right V-8 sounds, but when it comes to trading dollars for speed, the SS stands alone. Even its faster, racier and more modern Corvette Z06 sibling (an incredible value too), is hard-pressed to compete with the Camaro's bang-for-buck factor.

For roughly one-half the cost of the Porsche 911 Turbo's engine, you can have a chest-thumping, all-American, 325-bhp pony car that will do 0–60 mph in 5.5 seconds and lap a racetrack faster than many more sophisticated (and expensive) sports cars. Admittedly, it accomplishes all this in a traditional way, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with how the SS achieves its numbers.

Its Corvette-derived pushrod LS1 engine and live-axle rear suspension may not be cutting edge by 21st-century automotive standards, but they certainly get the job done. Around town, the Camaro's engine and chassis combine good any-gear acceleration with a surprisingly compliant ride. Its 345 lb.-ft. of torque deliver nearly instant power for quick and effortless surges through traffic. And while not offering the explosive thrust of the Z06's 385-bhp engine, the SS's everyday comfort contrasts sharply with the Corvette's more jarring, track-tuned ride.

Out on the open road, the SS proves it's more than just a straight-line performer. Thanks to wider 275/40ZR-17 Goodyear F1 tires, a stiffer shock/spring package and a larger front anti-roll bar than the standard Camaro, the SS handles exceedingly well for a car considered by many as "low-tech." Overall grip and predictability are good, and after getting over the rather high ride height, you can push the car with an increased degree of confidence.

At the racetrack, the SS raised more than a few eyebrows. Everyone expected it to rocket down the straights, but it ended up cornering well too — proof that high tech isn't necessarily the only show in town. While it certainly could work better over bumps and through quick transitions, the SS is generally stable, predictable and as such, surprisingly fast. Grip doesn't measure up to the sticks-like-glue adhesion of the Z06, but with less power, it's not as big an issue.

There's no getting away from the cold, hard truth that the Camaro SS is not long for this earth. Having received what will most certainly be its final stay of execution, one of the industry's last performance values will soon go the way of the dinosaurs. And while the phenomenal Corvette Z06 continues to uphold the honor of Chevrolet performance, there's no denying its younger sibling will still be missed by many a value-conscious enthusiast. — Kim Wolfkill

Corvette Z06

Not all siblings fight. In fact, the Corvette Z06 and Camaro SS get along well, the affordable pair of pushrod V-8-powered Americans in this field of incredibly expensive foreign iron.

Not to say the Z06 isn't a far better car than the SS. It is. In fact, around Thunderhill, the lightweight Z06 smokes the SS by being some 8 (!) seconds quicker per lap. Here's why: The Z06 is the quickest Corvette ever, and when all 385 horses of its high-compression LS6 engine are unleashed, the car streaks away, aided by lower gear ratios and an independent rear suspension that put the massive rear Goodyears (295/35ZR-18s) to good use. And thanks to the Z06's track-tuned FE4 suspension — which boasts larger anti-roll bars, a stiffer rear leaf spring and an extra half- degree of negative camber at each wheel — the Z06 relishes curves.

In Thunderhill's skidpad-like Turn 2, for instance, the SS driver must do all he can to avoid abusing the outside front tire with understeer. In the better balanced Z06, which has a rear transaxle, the car can maintain a much faster pace without punishing its tires. And if the corner is entered with too much speed, a quick lift and reapplication of throttle brings the Z06 nose back on line and headed toward that late apex. All very controllable and satisfying, accompanied by an SS getting smaller in your rearview mirror.

For a sense of just how serious chief engineer Dave Hill and Chevrolet have been about making the Z06 the best-performing Corvette ever, take note of where weight has been saved. Aft of the catalytic converters, a switch to a titanium exhaust trimmed 17.6 lb.; thinner front and rear glass pared another 5.7; and though the tires and striking forged aluminum wheels are an inch wider than stock, they manage to save 23.4 lb. of unsprung weight because they're not of the heavier, run-flat variety. All told, the Z06 tips the scales 100 lb. less than a 2001 Corvette coupe, which may not seem like much. But that, remember, is complemented by the Z06's 40 extra bhp.

Without a doubt, Chevrolet's C5 Corvette is the best American car today, solid of structure and very fast. And though the Z06 is perhaps a bit too firm for everyday use, it shines on the track, a true world-class sports car that posted faster times around Thunderhill than all but one Italian machine ...a car triple its price. — Andrew Bornhop